Do Young Women Expect Gender Equality in Their Future Lives? An Answer From a Possible Selves Experiment

Do Young Women Expect Gender Equality in Their Future Lives? An Answer From a Possible Selves...
Fetterolf, Janell; Eagly, Alice
2011-04-14 00:00:00
This study examined young women’s expectations about gender equality in their future careers and marriages. The study implemented a possible selves method in which 114 undergraduate women from a Midwestern university in the United States were randomly assigned to envision themselves as married mothers employed either full-time, part-time, or not at all and possessing either an advanced degree or a bachelor’s degree. Participants indicated their expectations for gender equality by estimating their own and their future husbands’ expected salaries and hours per week of housework and employment. They also evaluated their possible selves and estimated their emotional well-being and likely attainment of several important life goals. Greater employment produced greater expected gender equality, although in all conditions participants expected to have lesser salary and more domestic work than their husbands. With employment, compared with no employment, and with an advanced degree, compared with a bachelor’s degree, participants rated their possible selves more positively and estimated that they would have greater emotional well-being and attainment of life goals related to respect and finances. However, employment negatively affected participants’ anticipated relationships with their children. Thus, our participants’ reactions displayed a tradeoff between satisfying their employment goals and their goals for their relationship with their children.
http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.pngSex RolesSpringer Journalshttp://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer-journals/do-young-women-expect-gender-equality-in-their-future-lives-an-answer-DMr9rdpaBf

Do Young Women Expect Gender Equality in Their Future Lives? An Answer From a Possible Selves Experiment

Abstract

This study examined young women’s expectations about gender equality in their future careers and marriages. The study implemented a possible selves method in which 114 undergraduate women from a Midwestern university in the United States were randomly assigned to envision themselves as married mothers employed either full-time, part-time, or not at all and possessing either an advanced degree or a bachelor’s degree. Participants indicated their expectations for gender equality by estimating their own and their future husbands’ expected salaries and hours per week of housework and employment. They also evaluated their possible selves and estimated their emotional well-being and likely attainment of several important life goals. Greater employment produced greater expected gender equality, although in all conditions participants expected to have lesser salary and more domestic work than their husbands. With employment, compared with no employment, and with an advanced degree, compared with a bachelor’s degree, participants rated their possible selves more positively and estimated that they would have greater emotional well-being and attainment of life goals related to respect and finances. However, employment negatively affected participants’ anticipated relationships with their children. Thus, our participants’ reactions displayed a tradeoff between satisfying their employment goals and their goals for their relationship with their children.

Journal

Sex Roles
– Springer Journals

Published: Apr 14, 2011

Recommended Articles

Loading...

References

Prescribed optimism: Is it right to be wrong about the future?

Armor, DA; Massey, C; Sackett, AM

Men want equality, but women don’t expect it: Young adults’ expectations for participation in household and child care chores

Askari, SF; Liss, M; Erchull, MJ; Staebell, SE; Axelson, SJ

Dynamics of the gender gap for young professionals in the financial and corporate sectors

Bertrand, M; Goldin, C; Katz, LF

Is anyone doing the housework? Trends in the gender division of household labor

Bianchi, SM; Milkie, MA; Sayer, LC; Robinson, JP

Changing rhythms of American family life

Bianchi, SM; Robinson, JP; Milkie, MA

The gender pay gap: Have women gone as far as they can?

Blau, FD; Kahn, LM

Where are they now? A description of 1992–93 bachelor’s degree recipients 10 years later (NCES 2007–159).

Bradburn, EM; Nevill, S; Cataldi, EF

Working 61 plus hours a week: Why do managers do it?

Brett, JM; Stroh, LK

College students’ perceptions of mothers: Effects of maternal employment-childrearing pattern and motive for employment

Bridges, JS; Etaugh, C

Cohabitation and housework: The effects of marital intentions

Ciabattari, T

Division of household labor and distress: The role of perceived fairness for employed mothers

Claffey, ST; Mickelson, KD

The maternal wall

Crosby, FJ; Williams, JC; Biernat, M

Cross-national variations in the division of household labor

Davis, SN; Greenstein, TN

The role of parenthood and college education in the self-concept of college students: Explicit and implicit assessments of gendered aspirations

Devos, T; Blanco, K; Rico, F; Dunn, R

The gender revolution: Uneven and stalled

England, P

Well . . . she wants it more: Perceptions of social norms about desires for marriage and children and anticipated chore participation